Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.R. No. 46 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study of the issues hospitals face with regard to wait listed patients in Hawaii in need of long term medical care.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific Health, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, and Kaiser Permanente. The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments for your Committee's consideration.

Your Committee finds that hospitals in Hawaii have been facing serious issues regarding waitlists for acute care patients waiting for transferral to long-term care facilities. Requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study into these pertinent issues will help to facilitate a plan for a long-term solution.

Your Committee has amended this measure in response to submitted testimony to include the Chief Executive Officer of Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and the Director of the Hawaii Long Term Care Association as individuals to receive certified copies of this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 46, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 46, S.D. 1.